With cold war contained, the post-war fixation with spy-fi continued to be poorly fed with nostalgic ruminations and anachronisms on the screen until movie-goers relished a different dish - industrial espionage. Now-a-days on the menu is an intricate web of intrigue that characterizes the underground of the corporate world, with spies seducing, siphoning and securing trade secrets in a manner that both tickles and gratifies thrill-lust. Duplicity has it all plus a wacky, funny subplot and sizzling romance. Released in the US in the middle of March this year, the $60 million budgeted movie has grossed a little over $78 million but then the merit of a movie is not what is adjudged by the box office.

As the name suggests, Duplicity is filled with and thrives on deceit; conning is the main game here and you need to watch it out to know who dupes whom. The movie kicks off with a party in the US Consulate in Dubai in 2003 on the occasion of America's Independence Day; there the main leads, MI6 agent Ray Koval (Clive Owen) and Claire Stenwick (Julia Roberts), meet. Succumbing to the charm of Claire, Ray starts flirting with her only to find out next morning that Claire, apparently a CIA agent, drugged him and made off with some of his important documents. The background thus set, the movie shifts to the present time, with the CEOs of the two equally giant companies that sell consumer products, Howard Tully (Tom Wilkinson) of Burkett & Randle and Dick Garsik (Paul Giamatti) of Equikrom, entangled in intense competition with each other. Ray is now a corporate spy for Equikrom whereas Claire a counter-intelligence officer at Burkett & Randle, this time not playing against each other but playing with each other for achieving a common objective.

With a flick of a flashback, Claire and Ray are seen together - after the 2003 incident - in Rome, where they bury the hatchet and fall for each other. From then on they plan to earn millions using their conning talents, currently, the rivalry between the two companies providing them with an ideal opportunity. Tully has revealed that his company is coming up with a phenomenal innovation and Garsik is determined to preempt Tully by stealing the formula. The task is assigned to Claire and Ray, who, in collaboration with their friends, set about their clandestine exploits presumably with something big up their sleeve. It looks as though everything is perfectly planned but the labyrinthine corridors of duplicity lead to an unchartered zone keeping the viewer in suspense until the denouement.

Julia and Clive are simply unbelievable what with their on-screen chemistry, the funny and at times sarcastic dialogues they exchange and their mutual distrust. Ever since his award winning role in Closer in 2004, Clive has grown ever more as an actor. As supporting actors, Tom Wilkinson and Paul Giamatti have done justice to their roles.

Duplicity is well shot but direction seems sloppy and quirky at times; shuttling between the present and the past is a bit overdone creating unnecessary confusion. Moreover some characters are redundant. The story has all the ingredients required for slick entertainment and it could have been well crafted with director's dexterity to make a perfect movie but Tony Gilroy seems to lack the skill.

And yet, if you like sensible comedy with sprinkles of romance and a tinge of thrill then Duplicity is your pick.

Oditi Shirleena Mostafa from ET Entertainment Desk